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Chapter 16
The years that followed solidified everything.
Crescent Group grew into an empire. The Smiths stood unshakable. And I, Sophia Smith, had carved
out a place no one could question.
The Walkers, meanwhile, were gone. Bankrupt. Scattered. Their once–proud name spoken only in
pity or ridicule.
I never saw Lily again. Rumor had it she fled overseas after Ethan abandoned her.
As for Ethan–his name still surfaced occasionally, tied to failed ventures or half–hearted attempts
to claw his way back. But to me, he was nothing more than a ghost.
One evening, I found myself back at Westbridge International School for a reunion event. The
campus hadn’t changed much–the ivy on the walls, the polished wood floors, the echo of youthful
voices.
Walking the halls, I passed the old trophy case. My name was etched there now, alongside Adrian’s.
For a moment, I felt the strangest ache. A reminder of who I had been, and how far I had come.
Adrian appeared beside me, his reflection overlapping mine in the glass.
“Thinking about the past?” he asked.
I nodded. “It feels like a lifetime ago.
He smiled faintly. “It was.”
We walked together to the auditorium, where the school had prepared a tribute for alumni. When my name was called, the applause thundered, filling the hall.
Adrian’s hand brushed mine, grounding me, steadying me.
And for the first time in two lives, I felt complete.
Not because of titles or wealth or revenge.
But because I had finally chosen myself.
Chapter 16
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